cretin
/ˈkritɪn/
noun
- A very stupid or offensive person; an insult used to say someone is foolish or annoying.
- Don't be such a cretin — read the instructions before you start.
- Only a complete cretin would drive through a red light on purpose.
- He called me a cretin for forgetting my keys.
- A person who has cretinism (a condition caused by severe thyroid deficiency, leading to stunted growth and mental disability). This sense is now considered outdated and offensive.
- The medical term 'cretin' is no longer used because it is considered derogatory.
- Historical texts describe cretins as having short stature and intellectual disabilities.
- In the past, children with untreated hypothyroidism were sometimes called cretins.
Antonyms